Finite Incantatum
by Ara Cranton
Summary: 22 Up. Been awhile, sorry... If only her life was as a simple as a spell.... HGSS
1. Chapter 1 Hermione's Secret

Disclaimer: I own nothing, no really, I don't own anything.

A/N: My very first fan fic so please be gentle with me, at least at first. J 

Start of seventh year. She couldn't believe it. Her last year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was only three days away. Hermione thought to herself of all the exciting times she had there, save those when she had almost been killed thanks to Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. All in all, she enjoyed her time at Hogwarts. She loved her classes and the library was magnificent, but she knew deep inside the real reason that she loved Hogwarts so much. It meant that she wouldn't have to see him very often except an occasional meeting at Hogsmeade which were safe, or at least they had been safe until the end of last term. She didn't blame him; she never did; she always blamed herself. _He wouldn't just do it for no reason _she told herself over and over again. She always thought she had done something, anything, and she had talked herself into believing it. That was the biggest tragedy of all, well, that and lying to her head of house and mentor, Professor Minerva McGonagall. She thought back to that day returning from Hogsmeade last May. 

She had met him there like she had always done, felt safe within the confines of the village. _He wouldn't do it here, _she thought unknowingly to herself. As lunch drug on, she began to realize how wrong she could be. 

"Hermyonny… you are eating too much, you are gitting fatter. You should not eat zat way. What ave you been doing at zee school?" he asked her.

But it wasn't just that, it was so many things that had snowballed over time. She pushed her food around her plate not looking at him. For some reason, she thought that not looking at him would help her. 

"Look at me!" he said as he grabbed her harshly by the arm. "I do not know why I am here, you are worthless to me! I should leave now and be done wif you!"

She looked sideways toward him expecting but not expecting what usually followed these exchanges. As their lunch ended, he grabbed her by the arm and led her out the door. He pulled her around the corner as she most feared. Like her most usual way, she apologized profusely. Thinking back, she couldn't even remember what she pleaded with. As she graciously received the punishment he bestowed upon her, his mark was left swiftly on her cheek and lip. He left as he usually did, threatening if she made any move to share her reward with anyone. She complied only with a nod as a single tear escaped her right eye. There just weren't that many tears left to cry that hadn't yet found their release. He kissed her harshly and dispassionately, as she made no move to return the kiss. All she could feel was the split in her lip ripping wider and wider. As he always did, he explained how she made him do it to her and gave her instructions for her behavior. 

"When I see you next time, you will be thinner.. yes?" he said not so much asking as demanding. She merely nodded in agreement as he swept away with his robes cutting through the air as he walked. She put her head down and gathered her own already too large robes around her walking back towards Hogwarts. 

She had no sooner made her way into the castle as her head of house came towards her parchment in hand.

"Miss Granger, you have done so well that I had to come and see you immediately," she began before seeing her top student's face. _"Great," _Hermione thought to herself, _"how am I going to explain this."_ Her teacher stood pale faced in front of her and gently inquired, "What has happened to you dear?" Professor McGonagall asked her. This had confirmed what she had expected for quite some time. A small bruise above the eye now and again, a puffy lip once and awhile. "Umm… nothing, I just slipped that's all," Hermione lied, "I was coming out of…um, the…uh, candy store and I slipped, I'm so clumsy." Hermione knew that her beloved professor knew she was lying but Minerva McGonagall let it go. "I see," was all she replied as she walked back toward her office. Hermione walked back to her rooms and sat down on her bed alone. She enjoyed having her own rooms, especially since now she had so much to hide. That was the beginning of the downward spiral that would slowly start to spin out of control. 


	2. Chapter 2 Conscious Unconsciousness

Disclaimer: I am now the proud owner of 'Themen neu' my German textbook, but that's all… I still don't own Severus…er, I mean Harry Potter, yeah, that's what I mean…

A/N: I appreciate all the reviews, and I changed the anonymous thing, you guys will have to help with all the technical stuff. Anyway, the first few chapters are a little short as I'm experimenting a bit. I promise to get into more psychological stuff and of course bring in Snape! It'll just take a little time. On with the show…

She sat in the head girl compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Hermione had managed to avoid Harry, Ron, and Ginny all summer. She didn't want to deal with anyone. Being at school before nightfall was going to prove difficult enough. At least at school she could escape their questions and troubled glances, on the train she would have to endure them. Hermione slowly slipped into a brief sleep. It was that period between asleep and awake where everything is real yet nothing is as unreal. She thought back to how she had gotten into this whole mess. 

Things had really gotten bad in her fifth year. Being able to visit Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley whenever she wanted at first seemed ideal, but she would begin to dread these encounters in less than one year. During school, she had been safe from him. It had started with the little things, a put-down here, a snarl there, but nothing serious, nothing she couldn't handle… she thought. But it slowly became more, he began to control her. It was too much for her to take. But she agreed with him, she did need to lose weight and she was particularly unattractive. His insults quickly became more aggressive and physical in the summer between her fifth and sixth years. He became angry with her for the least little thing. At first, she didn't feel she deserved her punishment but slowly she came to realize that he was right, he was always right. He was, after all, the first man to ever love her, to want her; her own father couldn't even do that for her. She accepted his actions because she needed to feel accepted by someone. Her friends loved her and cared about her, but not in the way that a woman needs to feel from a man yet Viktor did that for her, and for that, she stayed and endured, trying to change to meet the demands he placed upon her. Her trips to Hogsmeade had always been safe; he didn't dare do it in public, until that day in May. 

__

"He's never done anything I haven't asked for. He's waiting for me to be ready before we make love," she shuddered at the thought of it. _"Things will get better," _she promised herself time and again, adjusting for whatever he foresaw as her latest shortcoming. She had compensated but still he persisted. She just didn't know what was left for her to change. It was easy at school to be so engrossed in her work that she didn't have time to explain to her friends what it was that was troubling her. Then, the summer before her last year arrived in such a timely fashion.

It was quite possibly the worst summer of her life. She had stayed at The Leaky Cauldron at her father's request. Her father was traveling with his newest girlfriend and her mother had been gone for as long as she could remember. This seemed ideal at first until Viktor took it upon himself to frequent her residence. The violence continued perceived as just reaction to her most current misdeed. Viktor became more forceful with her over the summer and literally beat her to unconsciousness at some point. She awoke in her own room, in her own robes. She thought no more about it. He would apologize each and every time as she would almost have the nerve to sever their tie. She believed him every time. It was her fault and he wouldn't do it again. Those empty lies haunted her unconscious as the train jolted to a stop at Hogwarts. 


	3. Chapter 3 News

Disclaimer: Yeah, for some reason, I need two different versions of "Themen Neu"… I don't know, but I know own two of them. Oh, and I still don't own HP.

A/N: I'm working on the plot line here, I'm sure you'll have some questions but I'm trying to build up this story so I am maintaining a certain mystique but in time all will be revealed. Oh, and I forgot to mention that I manipulated Hermione's parents to meet my own ends along with some other minor details. And for anyone who's reading this, could someone tell me what the hell lemons and flamers are? 

Hermione waited for all of the others to get off of the train, she watched them climb into the boats and head off to the school. When everyone was ahead of her, she then got herself dressed and started toward the castle. 

She didn't even want to see the sorting ceremony this year. She went straight to her rooms and began unpacking. She looked into the mirror and shied away from what stared back at her. Her eyes and cheeks had sunken in. The only thing full about her was the swollen and bruised right eyebrow and red puffy lip that had been her latest reward. She had been three minutes late for lunch, which was entirely unacceptable. She crawled into bed and tried to sleep away the thoughts that invaded her mind.

Hermione awoke the next morning to see a letter slid under her door.

Dear Miss Granger,

I guess you were either feeling ill or tired from your journey last night as we missed you at the feast. Please drop by my office this morning as I have some good news for you. 

Yours,

Professor McGonagall

Hermione put on her robes and applied makeup the best she could to hide the proof of love left on her face. She gathered her books together and made her way to Professor McGonagall's office. 

The door was open and waiting as she rounded the corner.

"Ah… Miss Granger!" her head of house exclaimed. "I have some excellent news for you." 

Hermione thought that the dim lighting and the makeup had sufficiently covered her embarrassment. She smiled politely and sat down as Professor McGonagall motioned her to a chair. All the while, Professor McGonagall knew what was going on just wanting to let her student hide what she wished. 

"I received all the work you did over the summer and it appears that you have done enough work to not have to actually take regular classes this year. I am proposing another option for you. I know that you thrive on challenge and research so I have a proposition for you. The headmaster and I think that you should further your education by doing a series of independent research projects. Charms, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, Potions, whatever you like. And we need someone to help our new Muggle Studies teacher with certain shortcomings. What do you think?" 

"That would be excellent!" Hermione beamed.

"Perfect. You can choose which ones you like. One this semester, one next, and one over the summer, if you choose. You will be obligated to help with Muggle Studies for the entire year however."

"That's fine," Hermione smiled at her, "I'd like to do Arithmancy this semester and Transfiguration next term. I'm not sure about the summer however." Hermione lied. She had really wanted to do Potions but she knew that Severus Snape hated her more than any other student in the history of Hogwarts. He would certainly never allow her to do any work in his dungeons. 

"Excellent my dear. We'll make arrangements this afternoon. Until then, I have scheduled a meeting for you this morning with Professor Hanson, the Muggle Studies teacher. He is in dire need of your expertise. Between you and me, I don't know how the lad ever graduated from Hogwarts much less apprenticed in Muggle Studies. However, our headmaster feels he should be given a chance. When he tried to tell us that a rolling pin was used in Muggle Cricket, we began to have our doubts. Oh, and this letter arrived early this morning by owl to my office for you, some owl was horribly confused I suppose."

"Thank you. I'll see you this afternoon," Hermione chimed as she began walking out the office. She began to open her letter as she walked down the corridor. No return address but it had a stamp on it. _That's odd, _she thought to herself. Must be a Muggle, who else would owl a letter with a stamp on it. She opened it up to find a single newspaper clipping. The headline read, "Eight killed in EuroRail crash in Amsterdam." Hermione had a sinking feeling in her stomach as she stopped to finish reading it. She scanned until she found the list of victims. Her father's name was on that list. She sat down in the floor but didn't shed a tear.

It wasn't as if she and her father had been close. She hadn't spoken to him since her fifth year. Before that, they were never close either; Hermione was simply an inconvenience that her father dealt with, rather brutally at times. Accepted to Hogwarts, a boarding school, had been the answer to her father's prayers. Hermione tucked the note away into her pocket and went to meet this new professor. She stopped by the Great Hall to grab some juice when the all too familiar owl came drifting down towards her. Viktor had sent a letter.


	4. Chapter 4 Painful Recollection

Disclaimer: 'The Tree of Philosophy' is now in my possession as well. All I own is this small collection of textbooks.

A/N: Most of this work is being written for my own personal benefit to try and displace these very experiences. Therefore, you should keep this in mind when talking about the improbability of this. Besides, its fan fiction, I can make the characters do whatever I want… POWER! evilly cackling

He wanted to meet her in Hogsmeade in two weeks; he would be in town briefly with his Quidditch team and told her that she would meet him at the restaurant promptly for lunch. She decided that this time she shouldn't be late. 

For a week or so, she had managed to push her father's death and Viktor out of her mind. She busily worked with Professor Hanson on Muggle Studies and devoted the rest of her time to her Arithmancy work. The time flew by. Before she knew it, it was Friday afternoon and the next day she would be expected in Hogsmeade for lunch. 

She got up early Saturday morning and took a bath. She carefully groomed herself, putting on makeup, pulling her hair back into a ponytail. She made sure her robes were ironed and her clothes were immaculate. She started to Hogsmeade well before she needed to just to ensure she didn't do anything wrong. She thought that this time she had gotten everything right, that the day would go well, that she had nothing to fear. She didn't know how wrong she would be. 

It was all a blur really and she didn't begin to even process what had happened until she was well on her way back to the school. Her head throbbed and her vision was terribly blurred as her left eye had already completely swollen shut. She could taste the blood from her nose and lip seeping into her mouth. The bitter taste repulsed her as she stopped to vomit before going any further. The action hurt her, as she was certain she had broken several of her ribs. She looked at her wrist and saw the purple bruise beginning to appear. This time it was going to be terribly hard to explain. She made her way into the school and realized that this time she did need to go see Madam Pomfrey.

It was evening so no one was in the halls. Most were at dinner in the Great Hall, the rest were milling about in their common rooms playing Exploding Snap or Wizard's Chess. She crept into the Infirmary and looked around to be sure that she was alone. She sighed deeply and cringed at the pain she felt piercing her side. She carefully sat down and waited for Madam Pomfrey to appear. The mediwitch came around the corner and dropped the potions bottles she held in her hand. They fell to the ground and shattered, the sound deafening as it echoed across the lonely corridors. 

It was Madam Pomfrey's habit not to ask too many questions of her students, letting them tell her what was necessary and leaving the rest. Sometimes, she just didn't want to know. The only other time Hermione Granger had visited Madam Pomfrey was an unfortunate incident in her second year when she arrived looking very much like a tabby cat. The mediwitch bit her bottom lip and led Hermione over to a cot. She walked across into the storerooms to get what she needed, leaving Hermione to sit in the dark lonely room. It was almost peaceful as she heard the all too familiar footsteps sweeping quickly and purposefully along the hall. Before she could turn around, Severus Snape had entered the room.

"Where is Madam…. Merlin, girl, what have you done?" he inquired.

"Nothing sir," Hermione replied quickly, she didn't want to recount it especially to the greasy unpleasant Potions Master. 

"Miss Granger, I am not Longbottom, I know that your current state does not reflect nothing. Now, do you care to explain yourself or shall I call the headmaster?" Snape raised his right eyebrow at her as he asked. But inside, he was taken aback by the sheer sight of her. It had been circulated among the teachers that Hermione Granger had found herself in an unfortunate predicament last semester but he had shrugged it off as senseless female gossip. Now, he was not so sure. He looked at the broken young woman before him and was painfully reminded of years and years of seeing that same look on Muggle faces that were tortured senselessly by his fellow Death Eaters. Her deep brown eyes pierced into his soul. They were warm but weak. Her fragile glance couldn't hold his eyes as he wondered who would have damaged this spirit so deeply that she couldn't look at him. It was less than two years ago that she had looked at him so deeply that it sent surges to his stomach, as she was thirsty to be taught. Now, he looked at her empty and abandoned, who had done to this to this beautiful woman? _Did I just call her beautiful? No, that's not possible. She's intelligent and brave, yes. But, she's a student. Yes, your student. But, she's not really your student anymore. You won't ever have her in your dungeons again. _He admitted to himself that he missed her hand darting up before he finished every question. Now, Potions with the seventh years was as displeasing as ever as no one could answer even the simplest of questions. 

Before Hermione or Snape had anything further to add, Madam Pomfrey whisked around the corner. Hermione looked at her painfully saying without words that she had found herself in a most uncomfortable situation. The mediwitch quickly took charge.

"Ah, Severus. I seem to have met with an accident and several potions that you prepared for me have found their way to my floor. Do you think that you might have time to replenish my stores?"

"Of course Madam. Just let me know what you need."

"Thank you. I have made a list and left it on the counter in the other room. I need most of that as quickly as possible."

"I'll get to work on it immediately Poppy. I must be going now." He tried to look as sullen and dispassionate as usual but was uncomfortable to the point that his body didn't want to cooperate with him. He left and as he rounded the corner he caught his breath. The sight of the mangled Hermione Granger stood in his mind without fading. 

A/N: I'm working on trying to better my ability to write dialogue. Writing research papers doesn't generally involve dialogue so I'm winging it here, work with me.


	5. Chapter 5 Halloween

Disclaimer: You know what I'm saying…

A/N: This one's pretty short because this is the only logical break in the plot line that I could devise. Otherwise there's this incredibly long chapter. This seemed to work. And yes, before you ask, there is a reason that Snape is so interested in Hermione, I'm just not going to tell you yet. 

Severus Snape sat in his lonely dungeons going over third year essays. He mindlessly graded them but found himself letting his mind wander to other things, other people. Hermione Granger stood out in his mind yet he didn't know why he was so absorbed with what had transpired. He couldn't understand it, any of it. He opted for a whiskey and book as he climbed into his empty bed. 

Hermione managed to avoid as many people as possible for that week. Madam Pomfrey was skilled in her own right but she was most certainly not a miracle worker. She had healed Hermione's ribs and managed to repair the split lip but the bruise above her eye would have to heal on its own. She was sore and tired, but happy to be back at school, where she was safe. 

Halloween had approached faster than usual as she had managed to get her life into some semblance of order. Her arithmancy project was finished, with so much extra time on her hands, the project merely completed itself. She spent most of her time teaching Professor Hanson's class. He had so much trouble in so many areas that Hermione had student taught most of his classes. But, as Halloween grew nearer, Hermione prepared his lesson plans and worked out the details of his lectures. He resumed his role of teacher, leaving Hermione to her own devices. Most of the time, Hermione Granger was found in the library, reading into the late hours of night. She was happier than she usually was, everyone noticed it, probably due to the fact that Viktor hadn't owled her since that first week of school. She thought that she was finished with him. 

The feast had arrived and Hermione allowed herself to be drug from the library to the Great Hall with the friends she had neglected all semester. Ginny Weasley, her best friend, had been patient with her and gave her the space she needed, something Hermione was truly grateful for. And since Ginny had been spending a good deal of time with Harry, she didn't have to deal with him much either. Ron Weasley had been so wrapped up with Quidditch that he rarely had time for anything else. As Captain of the Quidditch team, he spent hours working new strategies. So, when the feast arrived, Hermione felt obligated to attend. 

The hall was mad with laughter and excitement. All of her fellow students accepted her back with no questions and she sat and watched them all eating, talking, and smiling. Hermione didn't feel the need to eat. She couldn't actually remember the last time she had bothered to take anything into her mouth. Viktor had always said that she was too fat. She took a piece of cake nervously placing it neatly on her plate. 

Severus Snape watched her from the staff table. She looked better than when he had saw her last. However, there was something empty and lonely about the way she sat with her shoulders hunched down over her plate. He watched Hermione take the cake and place it on her plate, making no move to eat it. As a matter of fact, Snape couldn't actually remember the last time she had graced the Great Hall with her presence. Either way, he was intrigued by the figure who sat helplessly lost at Gryffindor table. He saw that her once full brown eyes now merely reflected a hollowness. He wondered what was troubling her and watched her hoping for some indication that she was all right. And then, she smiled. Only briefly, but for a small moment her eyes had lit up and the room seemed slightly brighter than it did before. A moment later, this was extinguished as she excused herself from the room leaving the cake behind untouched. 

Hermione had excused herself; the sweet scent of the feast was making her nauseous. She went back to the library but found herself thinking about her life. She had her problems with Viktor Krum, that much could be certain. He was just like her father. She didn't seem to expect any more from the men in her life. There was Harry and Ron, but they were different, they hadn't learnt how to treat a woman yet. Her father had known, so had Viktor. She relinquished the memory and wondered how she had managed to find herself in this position. Her father's death was welcomed but reminded her of her loneliness and isolation. She was now completely deserted. There was no one else. She let her mind wander on to other things. Hermione knew that Severus Snape had been watching her throughout the feast yet she couldn't figure out why. _He's never bothered to take any interest in me before. Why should he start now? He's probably trying to figure out what happened so he can tell Dumbledore and get me expelled. I wonder what his robes smell like? Oh! Where did that come from? Hermione Granger and Severus Snape. What an unlikely pairing. Not that he would ever be interested in me anyway, why would he? Does he want Viktor's spoils? I doubt it. His eyes, there's just something about his eyes. _She shook her head as if to ward off the images of Severus Snape as she continued reading. What could she do? If only her life was as simple as a spell… 


	6. Chapter 6 Power Play

Disclaimer: So yeah, I think the uni's trying to break me on books. My library is slowly starting to build with very expensive texts, and since I don't own HP, I can't really afford it.

A/N: I'm in Hong Kong studying this semester so I went on Sunday afternoon to see Harry Potter at the theater. It was in English but with Chinese subtitles, I even picked up how to write 'Dobby' in Cantonese. It was really cool…

Dumbledore had made a most unique announcement the morning after Halloween. Ron and Harry had run up to her rooms to inform her of the breaking news.

"Hermione! We're having a Quidditch match!" Ron said.

"So, don't we have those every year?" Hermione replied.

"Well, yes, but we're having a school team play Durmstrang in two weeks! Won't that be great!"

"Smashing," Hermione replied sarcastically. Playing Durmstrang meant only one thing to her. Viktor Krum would be coming to Hogwarts. 

The next two weeks flew by like mad. Hermione had invented every excuse in the world to be absent from the tournament but she couldn't escape it. Dumbledore had ordered everyone, staff and students to be present. Hermione put on her robes and scarf then walked down to the pitch. She saw the Hogwarts team flying overhead; she heard Ron's directions shout out as the whole of the team complied, all except Harry who was trying to get away from a very passionate Ginny. Hermione surveyed the sky and saw Viktor Krum flying about, her heart sank. She found a place for herself among the students and watched as the game began. Five hours later, Harry Potter caught the Snitch leading Hogwarts to a 560-10 victory over Durmstrang. The students and staff, led by Minerva McGonagall, raced onto the field. Leaving Hermione to slowly walk back to the school. She had walked past one of the large stands when a gruff arm pulled her behind it. She knew his grasp too well. 

From across the way, Severus Snape watched the confrontation between them. He saw Viktor shake her fiercely and land a timely backhand to her right cheek. Snape tried desperately to cross the pitch but he ended up tangled in the mass of students cheering on their teammates. By the time he managed to find his way across, Viktor had rejoined the Durmstrang gang, who were leaving shamefully. Hermione was running toward the castle with her robes floating behind her. Snape rushed to meet up with her. He got to the castle just as the front doors closed. When he opened them, Hermione Granger was leaned against a wall sobbing. He looked at her and melted at the sight of the troubled woman before him. 

"Miss Granger, I'll escort you to Madam Pomfrey's office," he tried to graciously offer.

"I-I… d-don't…need," was all she could manage to get out. She pushed herself from the wall and ran down the hall into her own rooms throwing herself on the bed, crying herself to sleep. 

Severus Snape watched her tiny figure as it disappeared through the corridors. He didn't know how to analyze the events that transpired; he could only assume she had thought that he had been there to harm her. He meandered down to his own dungeons deciding that he would have a talk with Minerva once she got back.

Before the celebratory feast began, Snape had cornered McGonagall in the staff lounge. 

"I tell you Minerva, I saw it with my own eyes! He hauled off and hit the girl across the face!"

"Severus, do calm down. Now what exactly did you see?"

"That Krum fellow was screaming at her and then hit her with his back fist across her cheek! Someone needs to teach that young man how to treat a lady."

"All right Severus, I'll talk to her, but I don't know what you want me to do."

"Don't you care Minerva? Honestly, the girl's in your own house. Tell her not to see the chap anymore, to…to…"  
"To what Severus? I can't make her stop seeing Mr. Krum. I have tried since last spring to get her to tell me what's going on but she doesn't want to talk about it. I even approached her after the incident in Hogsmeade earlier in the semester but she was resigned to keep quiet. I can't make her do anything. I think that's the problem now, everyone trying to make her do what she doesn't want to do. The last thing she needs is another person coming off as trying to control her."

"What do you mean?"

"Severus, I have it from good authority that her father was not exactly the loving parent. She no doubt learned to expect the way she is being treated from him, if you get my meaning."

Severus sank down in a chair. "You mean, her own father hurt her? Parents don't do that."

"Perhaps not in our world Severus, but in the Muggle world they do. Miss Granger is a testimony to that."

"What about her mother?"

"Albus tells me her mother disappeared when she was very young."

"This is insane," Severus said as he pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

"I know, Severus. I'll do what I can do."

"Minerva?" 

"What is it? Do spit it out."

"What did happen earlier in the semester?"

"Well generally, we begin teaching Severus. That's our job. Traditionally, we teach students magic and then we test them on it later. That's what I've been doing at least…"

"Don't be smart with me Minerva, you know what I mean."

"I think you know that I can't tell you that Severus. I'll let you know if there's anything that you can do. Now, I am going to join our students at the feast." McGonagall walked out the lounge leaving a very displeased Snape behind. He hated being out of the loop. 

A/N: Bit short but sometimes too many details are a bit much even for those who are slightly, shall we say, knowledgeable about the subject… do continue reading and someone please review. I've gotten 13 reviews, that's just bloody unlucky.


	7. Chapter 7 Interpretations

Disclaimer: Yeah, you see JKR still hasn't willed me HP, so I still don't own it.

A/N: First bit's a little choppy, I needed to provide some information for you so this is the most efficient way to do it I suppose. I'm still trying to work on dialogue.

Severus Snape couldn't understand what had happened, and he was terribly confused about his life. The dark mark had disappeared when Voldemort was finally eliminated thanks to Mr. Potter who had taken care of him early last year. What was he going to do with himself now? He was of no use to anyone. At least when Voldemort was still a part of the lives of the magic community Snape had a purpose. Now, he was useless. He had begun to think that now that all this business with the Death Eaters had been over that he might think about meeting someone, starting a family. But the two dates he had been on had been disastrous so he had resigned himself to a life of solitude. He had his books at least. Severus sat in his office and looked in his desk for something to amuse himself with before beginning his evening rounds. And then, he thought of her.

Over the last few months, he began to think more and more of Hermione Granger. At first it was pity, then he strangely turned into almost a crush for the girl. He knew it was childish and ignorant of him but he was still astounded by her beauty and intelligence. He longed to be closer to her. He thought that perhaps Viktor was out of the picture completely, that he might try to approach her and talk to her. After today, he realized that he had been foolish. The only thing he could offer her was a broken down, ex-Death Eater, who was the most disliked teacher at Hogwarts. His infatuation with her was building and he remembered the smile that she had given at the Halloween feast, one that briefly charged the room with such intensity that the whole room began to spin out of control. He realized at that point that his mind was wandering to other things, other parts of her, and parts of him were responding in time. He had to do something, anything. The first thing he would do is to try and talk some sense into the girl. 

He walked up to her rooms and knocked lightly on the door. He waited a few moments then knocked a bit louder. He heard her move from the bed and walk softly across the room to open the door.

"Professor?" she asked sleepily.

"Yes, Miss Granger. I was wondering if I could have a word with you?"

"I guess."

"Well, are you going to invite me in or not?"

"No, I'm not. I'll meet you in the library in ten minutes, I need to freshen up a bit."

"All right, I'll see you there," he whirled away berating himself for being so forward with her. It's not like he wanted to come in and shag her. Well, he did, but that wasn't why he wanted to see her today. 

Hermione joined him promptly in ten minutes downstairs in the empty library. She had tamed her hair enough to pull it back into a full ponytail, soft curls escaping at her temples. _Gods, she's gorgeous. I wonder if she knows that, should I tell her? No fool, calm down, keep the party in your pants._

"Yes sir. What can I do for you?"

__

You can leave that twit of a boy and let me show you how a lady should be treated. "I wanted to inquire about your well-being."

"Ah, I'm fine sir, thank you. Yourself?"

__

Twisted in knots thinking about you every waking moment. "Good, good."

"Is there anything else sir?"

__

There are so many things that I could show you, share with you. "Yes, I was wondering what you planned to spend your time at Christmas doing?"

"Uh… I... uh," she fidgeted unsure of his intent. 

"Well, I just thought that if you were to be here that you might be interested in doing some work in the dungeons, Potions of course. You were always a good potions student. Thought you might want to explore some new areas."

"Yes, I'll be here, that should be fine. When do you want me?"

__

Here, now, forever. "Well, I hear that you're pretty well finished for the semester, perhaps we could start at the first of December?"

"That should be fine."

"I'll send you some more information on what you'll be doing."

Hermione stood up to walk away. Severus quickly stood up and asked, "Are you all right? Really all right?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" she tried to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince him.

"I saw what happened between Mr. Krum and yourself earlier and was concerned."

"Oh, that was my fault. Don't worry Professor, I'm fine."

"Not to be a prat, but you don't look fine. Your cheek is a bit red under your eye there."

Hermione drew her hand up to her face. "Oh well, nothing to worry about. I have to be going." 

__

Minerva was right, there's nothing I can do. She definitely doesn't want to talk about it. Gods, that girl is going to drive me crazy. 

A/N: I like being able to be in Snape's head… it's really fun to be mind controlling.


	8. Chapter 8 The Find

Disclaimer: So, nothing has changed here…

A/N: I've provided the short version of the incident to avoid my rambling of details. You get the idea, I don't really think that any more discussion is necessary. Remember that things always get worse before they get better. We're building up to a great climactic event here…

Hermione's potions work was going well. She had spent most of her time doing research in the library and she would work in the dungeons over Christmas. She had been totally immersed in her work. The week before break, the owl came. 

Hermione,

I am sorry about what happened at the match. Meet me in Hogsmeade Saturday for a drink. We have to talk. 

Viktor

_Talk about what? I hope he wants to call this whole thing off. I'm sure that's what it is. He wants to dump me. _

Two days later, Hermione appeared in Hogsmeade at the usual table. Viktor came in, grabbed her by the arm and dragged behind the little store. He accused her of cheating on him with Ron. She tried to explain but it made no difference to him at all. She just resigned herself to her punishment, finding out long ago that fighting it only made it worse. With one final blow, she blacked out.

Severus Snape was walking along the grounds at the school. It was a clear December day, a bit cool, but nice nonetheless. He was drawn to walk around the side of the school but didn't know why. When he saw a figure vanishing into the Dark Forest, he had a sneaking suspicion that it was none other than Viktor Krum. Sensing a relative uncalm in the air, he hurried his walk to see a figure lying face down in the grass. It was Hermione.

The next thing she knew she was being lifted from the ground. She struggled at first and then the smell filled her nostrils. It wasn't Viktor, the hands, the smell, none of it belonged to him. She didn't know who it was but whoever it was, he was warm, gentle, and felt safe. She lay comfortably in his arms as she was rushed away from the grass.

Severus rolled her over and looked away from the sight that met him. Her hair was bloodily plastered to the side of her face. When he gently moved it out of her eyes, he saw the damage that had been done. She was a mess beneath him. He felt her struggle, scared and panicked as he put his hands under her to lift her up. He whispered to her and bent over her to pull her into him. She had calmed, her breathing regulated. Severus pulled her close to him as if trying to protect her from everything in the world. He ran as fast as he could, she lay lightly in his arms like an angel. Before making it back, she had put a hand on his chest, burying her head in his chest. She fit so well there. He didn't want to ever put her down. 

Minerva McGonagall had seen the episode from her window and met the two at the front doors to the school.

"Did you see who did this?"

"Don't be thick Minerva. Who do you think did it?"

"I mean, did you see him?"

"I saw him as he ran into the forest. At least he brought her back to me… er, the school."

Minerva pretended that she didn't hear his slip. "Let's get her upstairs to Poppy."

Hermione felt herself being laid on a cot in the infirmary and panicked as the warmth and safety of the arms left her. She could still hear him. It was Severus Snape and he sounded almost enraged. She could feel light hands on her head and she looked up to see Madam Pomfrey washing her face. Snape stood in the corner, a pained look in his eyes as he watched the mediwitch tend to her patient. Not ten minutes later, she lay asleep in the infirmary, dreaming of what happened, over and over again.

Severus Snape saw her twitching in her sleep. He had decided to stay and wait for her to awaken. She began to turn her head first to the left, then to the right, the pain was reflected in her face. Her arms shot up to guard her face as she began to cry. He couldn't take it. He rushed to her bedside and put his hands against hers, not to take them into his own, he didn't want to alarm her. She stopped moving momentarily and put her arms down. She was still dreaming. He softly pushed a lock of hair away from her face and whispered to her.

"Everything is fine. I'm right here. You're safe. You're going to be fine." Hermione breathed deeply and went back to sleep but before she did, she thought she heard him whisper 'I think I….' She smiled to herself and fell fast asleep breathing in his scent made the dreams of Viktor go away.

Severus sat down in an armchair in his rooms and pulled out an old tattered photo album. He lovingly looked at the pictures of the young girl inside it. She was beautiful. Her hair was black as ebony and fell to her waist. The girl in the picture was 10 maybe 11 years old. She looked at the young boy beside her, two years older with adoration in her eyes. As he turned the page, he saw the same young girl, perhaps three years older still clinging to the young man by her side who was proud and protective over this young woman. Her eyes were solid green yet bright and inviting. He sat back in his chair. He knew what the next pages would soon show. As he quickly thumbed through the rest of the album, the beautiful figure dwindled and extinguished like a smoldering fire. The final page showed an older version of the young boy who sat alone on a bench crying. That boy was now a man, a young man. As Severus peered closer, he could see the dark mark on the young man's inner arm. He closed the book and tilted his head back to the ceiling. 

"Gods, Jenna, do you know that I still think about you? There isn't a day that goes by that you're not in my thoughts and my dreams…"

He closed the book and placed it back on the shelf. He knew that he had to reach Hermione, before it was too late. The lingering image of the ebony haired woman infused his senses. _I have to do something for her. Hermione is your second chance Severus, to do for her what you couldn't do for Jenna. But, is it more than that? I don't know… I just don't know…_

A/N: So, who is the mysterious Jenna? You've probably already guessed, but if you haven't I'm not going to tell you, not yet anyway.


	9. Chapter 9 Close yet so Far Away

Disclaimer: Yada, yada, yada… I don't own HP…. Yada, yada, yada

A/N: So, Viktor's a bastard and we need a hero… who will it be… and how shall we deal with Viktor?

Hermione missed Christmas, not that she really cared. She didn't have a family to go home to which almost relieved her. She didn't have to listen to her father, to take the relentlessly verbal battering. She healed quickly and was out of bed before the students returned from the break. This year, Harry had gone home with Ron, mostly to have some time with Ginny. Snape visited her each day and they talked potions and theoretical transfiguration, his weak suit but anything to take her mind off what had happened. 

"We seem to have run out of time for our potions project, if you finish your Transfiguration project early, perhaps we could resume then?"

"That would be fine Professor." There was so much she wanted to say to him, to thank him, but she couldn't. The thought of talking about what had happened was too much to take. She was still unsure of what had happened to her, not entirely sure she wanted to know. _He didn't take it from me at least. Viktor has the respect to wait until I'm ready. He won't call on me again. This time, he's finished I'm sure. _

The first part of the second term had gone quickly. She finished her Transfiguration project in two and a half months. By mid-March, she was ready to start on Potions again. She had been owled by Professor McGonagall to see her in her office.

"Miss Granger. Have you decided what you wish to pursue for your summer study?"

__

Severus Snape, Potions. "No, not yet Professor."

"Well, how about potions? Then after the summer you can decide what you would like to apprentice in."

__

I thought you'd never ask. "Potions would be great. I'm doing a small project with Professor Snape for the rest of term then I will be ready to do some more independent research in the summer."

"Excellent. I'll owl Professor Snape and tell him you've accepted."

__

Accepted? Does that mean he actually asked me to work with him? "Thank you Professor. I'm going to the library to do some work. Professor Hanson is not doing well at all, however. That has proven to be quite a challenge, but I am enjoying the work. It keeps me busy" _It keeps me from thinking about Viktor. _

Hermione walked back to the library and faintly heard an owl screeching in towards her. _Oh Gods, what could he want with me now?_

Hermione,

My sincerest apologies. I didn't mean anything by what happened. Please meet me in Diagon Alley on Saturday evening, 1800 at the Leaky Cauldron. . I need to talk to you about something pressing. It's time. 

Viktor

__

Time? Time for what? To end this once and for all. I shouldn't go, I know it. But this will be my chance to finally be done with it all. I need to see him this last time, to finish with him for good. I want out.

The next three days went by slowly as she finished up Professor Hanson's lectures for the next week. She had a meeting with Snape that was pressing, she couldn't miss it. In one hour she would be in his dungeons, finalizing her semester plans. She was excited but also knew that it would be uncomfortable. She was safe in the infirmary where everyone was around, but alone, with him, in the dungeons. She wasn't sure she could do it. Every time she doubted herself, she remembered his hands and his smell, the warmth of his arms as she was carried away from it all. Yes, she would remember this.

She gave herself a long pep talk as she walked down to his dungeons. _Everything will be fine. You'll do well. If he does anything inappropriate, you have your wand. You can run. You can scream to bloody hell. Just calm down. Breathe in, breathe out._

Before she knew it she was in the dungeons, the desks were arranged just as they always had been. Snape was nowhere in sight. She pulled the books from her bag and sat them on the desk, reading over her notes once more before their conference. She was so engrossed that she didn't even see him enter. 

"Good evening Miss Granger."

Hermione jumped. "Oh! Good evening Professor."

"I didn't intend on giving you a start. Are we ready to begin?"

"Yes sir, I've arranged all the notes and read the material you gave me. I think this should be most interesting."

The two sat down and worked out a tentative outline to organize their time. Two hours later, they had finished and Hermione began to putting her books into her bag. She dropped her notes in the floor.

"Damn… sorry Professor," Hermione apologized.

Snape merely bent down and helped her to gather up her notes. Apparently, her potions notes weren't the only notes that had fallen in the floor. Snape picked up the note from Viktor and before she could get it away from him he had read the first part of it. She grabbed it from his hand and shoved it into her bag. 

"You are not going to meet him are you?"

"Its not really any of your concern… but, yes. I need to see him."

"Merlin girl! Are you mental? I can't believe you would even consider it."

"We have some things to work out."

"Work out? You have things to work out? How about working this out? You're probably the brightest student Hogwarts has seen in a hundred years and you're going to meet with the man that nearly killed you. How does that work out? Tell me that." Snape spoke with an irritation that troubled her.

"I have to, you don't understand," her tears began to fall as she hurried out of the room.

"You're right Miss Granger."

She stopped and turned around, "About what?"

"I don't understand," and with that, he turned around and left the dungeons slamming the door behind him.

__

Great, not a good way to start off work. I should have told him what I was going to meet Viktor for. He doesn't care, why should he? I'm just the annoying little know-it-all that has been a thorn in his side for six years. Gods, I wish it were him that I was meeting Saturday instead of Viktor. He would never have that though. Focus Hermione! 

Snape sat in his dungeons and played the words over and over in his head. _My sincerest apologies. I didn't mean anything by what happened. Please meet me in Diagon Alley. She can't believe him. I can't believe she's going to do it. She must be mad. I shouldn't have blown up at her. Gods, I made her cry. I'll never make her cry again, if I'm lucky enough to have her. _

With that, Severus Snape settled into his bed and drifted off to sleep thinking about Hermione Granger and dreaming of a life that he wanted to give her.

A/N: I'm trying, I really really am…


	10. Chapter 10 Reaping what he sows

Disclaimer: Um, yeah… you know…

A/N: Very graphic material ahead, do not read if you are sensitive…

Saturday came way before she was ready for it. She put on her robes and headed towards Diagon Alley. (A/N: I don't know how one gets to Diagon Alley from Hogwarts, but lets just suppose she gets there.) She sat down in the Leaky Cauldron and waited. 1800… no Viktor. 1830… no Viktor. Finally, at 1900 he arrived, looking dog drunk. 

"Hermyonny… lets go to my room."

"Viktor, I don't think that's a good idea, let's just sit here and talk. I need to tell you something."

"I said we're going to my room. Now!" He raised his right hand across his left shoulder as if to threaten her.

"Fine, but I have to get back soon. Professor McGonagall is expecting me," she lied to him.

She followed him up the stairs and into his room. He sat her down on the bed and began to kiss her neck.

"Viktor, I don't want to do this. I need to talk…" He cut her off by capturing her mouth in a kiss. She pushed him away from her and wiped her mouth and neck off.

"Hermyonny… I want you"

"I don't want to do this," she pleaded. This was unheard. He pushed her back on the bed, his strong grip holding her wrists above her head with one large rough hand. 

"Viktor… stop!" She needed him in the groin and he returned the favor by crashing his fist down into her face. She nearly blacked out. He ripped her robes open, tearing the buttons off. He tossed her wand across the room as he began to open her blouse. She struggled as much as she could but was rewarded each time with a blow to the face. He clawed at her breasts as she felt his nails digging into the tender skin. She tried to cry out but was stopped short with a blow to the lips. He ripped her knickers off of her and panic overtook her. She knew what he meant. He thought that it was time. He had waited and been patient long enough, now he would take what he thought he rightfully owned. He pulled his own pants down and she turned away from the sight of him towering over her. She tried to cross her legs to thwart his advances but was overtaken by the sheer weight of him. He positioned himself over her and thrust hard into her. She cried out as her virgin sex was ripped open. She could feel the blood dripping out of her. He crash into her time and again as she was sure her thighs and pelvis would be thoroughly bruised. Every time she moved or tensed it hurt worse so she lay there with her eyes closed waiting until he was done. He finished in one hard thrust and smiled at her. Before she could get up, he delivered a final blow to her temple that sent her out.

She awoke a few hours later to see that Viktor had gone. Her insides hurt. She pulled her skirt back down and pulled her robes around her. Her wand was gone. She didn't know how she was going to get back. She was tired, disoriented and hurt, deeply. Worst of all, her spirit had been broken. As she made her way back, she finally came to realize what had happened to her. She had been raped. _I need a contraception potion. Madam Pomfrey should have one. I just want a bath. A hot bath. _By the time she got back to school, it was nearly 2300. She walked in to the Infirmary to see that Madam Pomfrey had posted a note that she would be at a conference until Monday. _Great, I can't wait until Monday and there's only one other person who can give me that potion. _She didn't want to do it, but she walked down to the dungeons. She didn't care how she looked. 

Severus Snape heard the door to the dungeons open from his office. He cast a Page Marking Charm on his book and went to see who it was. _Who could be down here at this hour? _He walked in to see a dark figure with their back to him. _It's so damned dark in here. Who the hell is that at this hour? 10 points from whomever's house it is._ He could tell from the height and hair that it was Hermione.

"Miss Granger, what could you possibly need at this hour?"

"I need a contraception potion Professor."

"Miss Granger, I refuse to give you a contraception potion so that you can go and meet that Krum fellow. I won't do it, you need…." He stopped mid-sentence as she turned around to face him.

"Merlin girl, what has happened to you?"

"Please, just give me the potion," she said as the tears began to fall from her bruised eyes. He turned around and went to his stores to locate the potion that he needed. When he returned, Hermione had sat down with her back to him and was crying with her head on the desk. He walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"NO! Don't touch me!" she cried as she fell into a heap into the floor. She crawled away from him and leaned against the wall. Her head tiled back and her hands firmly gripped the concrete floor. He could see the whites in her knuckles and then he saw the torn robes. He looked at her helplessly as his eyes darted to her ripped blouse, he could see claw marks on her chest and then, he saw the dried blood on her thighs. She sat there crying, he didn't know what to do. 

A/N: There's the big climax, now we can have our hero save the day…


	11. Chapter 11 Aftermath

Disclaimer: All previous ones apply.

A/N: Sorry to leave you hanging like that there, I didn't know so many people were actually reading it. A big thanks goes out to all my reviewers.

PearlyGoddess- My writing is still not sound yet so I suppose that I should clarify what I was trying to say. First, because Snape got lost in the crowd at the match he could not see nor get to Krum or Hermione. Second, he didn't get to finish the note so he didn't actually have enough of the details to stop her from going. I appreciate your review. Cheers!

Severus Snape was at a total loss. He didn't know what to do or what to say. He walked cautiously over to her and handed her the potion. She drank it in one swallow and then looked at him helplessly. He wanted to take her in his arms but was afraid he would get the same reaction as he had when he touched her the last time. Seeing her pained and broken, he took a chance and knelt beside her.

"Miss Granger," he didn't know what to say. It would be foolish to ask if she was all right. 

"Why?" was all she muttered as she leaned into him. He carefully put his arms around her and held her as she cried into his robes. He could smell the blood and Viktor Krum's scent emanating from her. It was nauseating. 

"Would you like me to get Professor McGonagall for you?" She shook her head 'no' into his shoulder and continued crying. He pushed her head away from him and lifted her chin so he could see into her eyes. She couldn't force herself to look into his. She was ashamed, ashamed at what she had done. He could see it and as much as he wanted to tell her it would be all right, he knew that it wouldn't help. 

"What can I do?" he asked her softly.

"B-bath, please." He didn't know if he should take her to her rooms or not. They were closest to his own so he picked her up and carried her into his rooms. He placed her into a sitting chair. She could feel the warmth from where he had been sitting only moments before. 

"I've drawn you some water and put some of my old robes in there for you," he began.

She nodded and walked over to the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and pulled off the clothes that she was wearing. She got into the bath and scrubbed herself all over until she was almost raw. She continued crying but the heat of the bath seemed to calm her. 

Severus could hear the water splashing and soft cries while she was in his bathroom. He couldn't get the image out of his mind. Her face, her chest, her thighs, it was all unreal. As he replayed their last conversation, he kicked himself for not pursuing it further. _I could have stopped this. I could have found out where she was going, I could have followed her at least. I could have been there to protect her. To keep that… thing from attacking her, from raping her…_Severus sank back into the chair as he had finally come to realize what had happened to the precious being that was now in his bath. He knew before, in the dungeons, but hadn't said until just then. _He raped her. That bastard raped her. _The word kept repeating itself in his mind as he tried to imagine what had happened. He heard the water draining from the bath and the door to his bathroom opened. Hermione walked out shamefully with his robes on, and instead of leaving, she lay down on his bed. She closed her eyes and went to sleep. 

Severus was at a loss. He didn't know if he should wake her or move her or just let her be. He opted for the latter. She had lain down so that her face was towards the other wall. She had drawn her knees up into her chest and lay there silently. He went into the bathroom and gathered the towels. His eyes eventually shifted over to the pile of clothes she had left in the room. He picked them up and took them out to his fireplace. He tossed them in one by one. Her robe with the torn buttons, her bloodied blouse and skirt, her brassiere, he threw them in and watched them burn.Still, he looked back into the adjoining room to see Hermione breathing in and out, resting peacefully. He walked back into the room and turned the covers on the other side of the bed down. He gently moved her into his bed and before he pulled the covers up around her, he saw her body beneath the robe. The deep gashes on her breasts, the bruises on her hips and thighs, he spread the robes back around her and pulled the covers over her. He sat in the chair and watched her sleep for the rest of the night. He didn't know why he felt he needed to be there, but he stayed, hoping that he might be able to protect her from anything else. 

Hermione awoke the next morning as the sun blinded her. She opened the one eye to see Snape sleeping in his chair. From the way he was sitting she knew that he was going to have a very sore neck when he awoke. She had almost forgotten why she was in his bed until the memories from the night before came floating back to her. She sat up in his bed and brought her hands up to her face.

"No, no, no… NO!" Snape woke up with a start and rushed over to the bedside. He put his arm around her and drew her into his chest.

"It's all right. You're safe here. I've got you. Nothing can harm you here." He rocked her gently as tears escaped her once again.

"H-how could I have been so stupid! I should have known not to go… you were right Professor. You knew. I guess you think that I deserve what I got."

He pulled away from her and forced her face to his glance. "Look at me." She avoided his glances.

"Look at me Miss Granger, you didn't deserve this. Do you understand me? You didn't do anything that would warrant this. Krum is just a selfish bastard."  
"But its my fault, I shouldn't have gone, I shouldn't gone to his room, I should have fought harder…." She sobbed relentlessly.

"This isn't your fault. I promise you that. Whatever you should or shouldn't have done makes no difference. No one is to blame but Krum. You are not responsible for his actions." His words were met with a slight unbelieving nod of the head. She leaned back into him and cried until she was asleep again.

A/N: Now, isn't that sweet… and I do promise a happy ending for our dear Hermione and Snape. 


	12. Chapter 12 Tremors

Disclaimer: Do you ever wonder why we bother with this? I mean, isn't it obvious that none of us own HP?

A/N: Slightly graphic recollections follow. 

He tried to get up when he realized that she was asleep but she groaned and clung tightly to him. He sat back against the headboard of the bed and pulled her into him again. She began to shiver so he pulled the covers over the two of them and drifted slowly off to sleep. Her dreams began to overtake her. The hands, the sound of him groaning as he came into her, the pain of his thrusts deep into her, it was all there. She fought him even in her dreams but he won, he had always won. She struggled to free herself from underneath him but he was so heavy and so strong. Severus noticed her movements were changing. She awoke with a large gasp.

"NO!"

"Hermione…."

"Please make him stop," she pleaded. Her brown eyes were large and frightened. She grasped his lapels and tried to climb into him. 

"Make him go away, please make him stop, he's hurting me…" she clawed her way back into his lap. 

"I've got you, you're safe," he stroked her hair as she continued to beg him to help her. 

"Stop him… please, it hurts… it hurts so much… make him stop it…." She screamed and cried tumbling out of the bed and crawling into a corner. Severus didn't know what to do. He couldn't make him stop. _Gods, it's not enough if he has to rape her body but he's raped her mind. She can't make it go away and I can't make him stop. Merlin! _He jumped off the bed and made her way towards her. 

"I just want him to stop, why won't he stop?" she begged him to answer her. "Why? WHY??" she demanded an answer.

"I'm here," was all he could say. He didn't know how to make it stop. The robes were open and he could see her body once again. This morning her bruises looked more severe. Hermione could feel the cool air against her skin but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Severus made his way over to her and covered her body with the robes. She leaned her back against the wall and began to bang the back of her head against it.

"Stop, stop, stop!" she cried. Severus pulled her head away from the wall and wiped the tears from her eyes. She shook uncontrollably and then collapsed at his feet. He flooed Madam Pomfrey and told her to return to Hogwarts. It took mere moments and she didn't ask any questions. Until she got there, he would take care of Hermione. He picked her crumpled body up from the floor and placed her back in bed. She cried even in her sleep. It was more than he could bear. He finally flooed Minerva and asked her to come down. 

Minerva McGonagall was down in the dungeons in record time. She looked at Severus. 

"What happened? Why is she here?"

He explained the whole story to her, leaving out the fact that he had slept in the bed with her, holding her. Minerva nodded and went over to the bed. She sat down beside it.

"Hermione?" she inquired. "Can you hear me?"

Hermione opened her eyes and looked into the face of the only woman who had even tried to be her mother. 

"Professor…" 

"Shhh child, it's okay, everything's going to be fine." Minerva looked at Severus with a troubled glance as Hermione fell back asleep. 

"Poppy's arrived. We should get her into the Infirmary. Mobilicorpus?"

"No, I'll carry her. I don't want her frightened."

He picked her up and Hermione breathed in his scent, feeling again safe and secure in his arms. They walked up to the hospital wing where Poppy Pomfrey was waiting to take care of her patient. She busily worked as she shooed away the two professors. 

"Do you think she'll be alright Minerva?" Severus asked.

"Eventually, tell me Severus, why is she in your robes?"

"She wanted to take a bath and I gave her a set of my robes to wear."

"How long exactly has she been in your rooms?"

"Since late last night." He sensed that Minerva was not pleased that she was not informed.

"I see. Well, I suppose she was in good hands. I trust you took care of her, and nothing happened."

"Merlin Minerva! What kind of animal do you think I am? I know what you're getting at and I'm appalled that you would even think such a thing. I'm not Viktor Krum you know." He got up to leave and she grabbed his arm.

"I know, I'm sorry, it's just that I'm worried."

"As am I Minerva."

"Now, what are we going to do about Mr. Krum?"

A/N: I'm taking suggestions for what exactly to do with him once he has been caught… do we let the Ministry handle it? Do we let Snape beat the living daylights out of him? Do we give him the Dementor's Kiss? Do we let Hermione kill the bastard herself? Any of these or others sound good? Let me know by reviewing.

A/N: I'll be in Thailand for the next 10 days so don't expect any updates until at least mid-February… thanks again to those who are reviewing, you are appreciated greatly. Cheers!


	13. Chapter 13 Muddling Through

Disclaimer: Blah blah blah… 

A/N: Let's get Hermione all straightened out and get her back on course with the enchanting Severus Snape… 

Viktor Krum had disappeared. No one knew where he was, he hadn't returned to school, he hadn't gone home. Hermione left the hospital wing a week later, feeling physically healed but still broken inside. 

__

I don't want to face him, I can't. He saw the mess I made of myself. I can't believe I was so stupid. I need to see him though, to thank him. I need to explain about the note and about what happened. He deserves that at least after all he did for me.

Severus Snape had visited her frequently though she didn't know he was there, he came mostly when she slept and watched her figure peaceful under the covers. School was almost over. The seventh years developed a bad case of Spring Fever, and with exams nearly completed, they were scarcely around. He sat in his dungeons and looked up only when he heard a gentle rap on the door.

"Miss Granger! You shouldn't be out of bed. Back to the hospital wing before Poppy skins us both alive."

"It's all right Professor, she let me go today. I just came to… t-to thank you."

"Thank me?"

"Yes, I appreciate all that you did for me when I was making a complete idiot of myself in the floor of your bedroom. I never got to thank you for rescuing me from Viktor."

"I'm afraid I was too late for that Miss Granger."

"Please, after seeing me naked and sleeping in your bed, you can call me by my given name. I feel I owe you an explanation."

"The only think you owe me Miss… Hermione is a speedy recovery. I believe we have some potions work to do."

"Please Professor, I need to tell you about the note."

"If you feel you must… call me Severus."

"All right Severus. I got the owl from Viktor and decided to go and end it once and for all with him. I needed to go to tell him face to face. I thought that I could end it nice and simple. I didn't dream that he would… Anyway, thank you… for everything that you have done and tried to do for me. I owe you my life."

He didn't know what to say. He nodded his head and she turned to walk away.

"Hermione?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"I think you just did, but you may ask another."

"Why did you stay with him all that time? After all that he did to you? Why? I don't understand."

She looked at him intently as she realized that he sincerely wanted, no needed to know from her what she had been asking herself for a year and a half. 

"Because no one else loved me, I thought that he might love me. It sounds stupid now but I thought that this was how it was supposed to be. I mean, my father… well, I needed to be loved and Viktor was the only one who wanted to do it."

He didn't know what to say. This was not the answer he expected. He still didn't understand how she could interpret what happened as him loving her but he didn't feel like he should ask any more, not now at least. _I could have loved you Hermione. I could have showed you what being loved really means. I could have given you the world. Perhaps, one day you'll let me try._

"I'll see you this afternoon Severus, I suppose we should get to work."

He nodded in agreement as she slowly walked away, no doubt still sore.

The rest of the semester passed quickly and commencement came and went. She was the only student left in the castle, but she really wasn't a student any more. Her work with Snape went well. They worked about six hours a day and she had learned more in a week than she had learned in seven years of Double Potions with the Slytherins. She was calmed. Her dreams only haunted her occasionally but her thoughts were constantly pervaded by the memory of Viktor Krum, who had still managed to allude the entire magic community. Week after week, the images became clearer and clearer as she tried so hard to block him from her mind. She tormented herself with blame and no longer respected any part of herself. It was a blow to herself and to those around her that did care about her, whether she knew it or not.

__

Does she know that I watch her? I see her working and wonder what it would be like to be with her, body and soul. She tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear and I see her delicate thin fingers working. She thumbs through the books, her right eye closes slightly in the corner when she's thinking about something. She doesn't see you as anything but her teacher.

They worked endlessly together from early in the morning until the evening rarely stopping for anything. She was relieved that she didn't have to eat.

"Hermione, let's have some lunch."

"No thank you, I-I'm fine really."

"You really should eat, when was the last time you had anything?" he inquired.

"Um…" she couldn't lie to him, she didn't know why.

"Why don't you eat something? Here, try this." He handed her half a sandwich and she just looked at it.

"Viktor said I'm too fat now."

He looked at her enraged. "Viktor is a fool, you're lovely Hermione, don't even think on it." She took the sandwich from him and nervously took a bite of it. It tasted so good. 

Three hours later they were still working in the dungeons. 

"I don't understand. This is totally preposterous! This will not work." She rubbed her sore neck with one hand and rested her forehead in the other. Severus walked up behind her and began to slowly massage her shoulders. 

"Perhaps if we substituted the Cornish warthog hair for the Yak belly hair it might work."

She sank back in her chair and let his hands work her neck and shoulders. She bent her head down toward her chest and enjoyed the touch of his hands on her neck. 

"That feels so good. I think I slept wrong last night or something."

He moved his hands from the back of her shoulders to her collarbones then running his hands down her arms. While she enjoyed his touch, she momentarily saw Viktor grabbing her and throwing her to the bed. He sensed her tense and he moved away from her. 

"We've been working so hard. Why don't we go out tomorrow? Maybe Hogsmeade for lunch and take a walk?"

__

Hogsmeade. "I-I… um…"

"What is it?"

"I can't."

"Why not?" Then it hit him. _You fool! Of course she doesn't want to go to Hogsmeade with you. She's probably only thinking of one thing. How stupid can you be! _"You won't have anything to worry about Hermione, it is just I, the mean old Potions professor."

She covered her mouth with her hand as she smiled. "All right, I suppose."

"Excellent. We'll go tomorrow at 9. Get yourself to bed now and get some rest, you look tired."

"Okay. I'll see you in the morning." She gathered her books and notes and headed back to her rooms. _Please Viktor, let me sleep tonight…_

A/N: Did I mention that there was a nun munching on popcorn at the cinema the last time I went to see CoS? Well, in case I didn't, there was this nun munching on popcorn at the cinema sitting two rows down from me the last time I saw CoS…


	14. Chapter 14 Hogsmeade Anew

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling… aren't you all surprised?

A/N: I've taken all your advice, I think I know how we shall deal with mean old Viktor. But first, we need some angst and romance… what do you think?

Her pleas to Viktor were useless. He invaded her dreams like he did every other night. The moment she closed her eyes he was there and no matter what she tried to think about, she could see the look on his face and hear him groaning in her ear. She tried to shut him out but he wouldn't allow it. She sunk into sleep and dreamed again of the night at Diagon Alley. This time, he was larger than life towering over her grinning evilly down at her as he pulled his pants down. She looked around her as Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Severus Snape looked on. They each turned around and walked away shaking their head ashamed of her. 'Severus! Help me!' Then, it all happened again. 

She sat straight up in bed and looked outside. The sun had begun to come up over the lake. Her clock said it was 730. _Well, I guess I'll take a bath and get ready. _An hour and a half later she heard a knock at her door. 

"Who is it?"

"It is I," he called from the door.

"Just a minute." She walked over and opened the door. "Are you ready?"

"I suppose…" She took a deep breath and walked out the door. (A/N: we're going to assume that you can walk to Hogsmeade here because I'm not entirely sure how you get there.) 

Their walk was silent. _Okay Hermione. Be calm. Everything is fine, there's nothing here to worry about. Severus wouldn't hurt you. He might. He is a man after all. He rescued me, though. Would he do what Viktor did to me? Yes, he would, he's probably just like all the other ones. _She continued to have this inner battle with herself as Snape watched her puzzled. _I can't do this, I don't want to go. I can turn back now. _

"Hermione? Is something troubling you?"

"No… well, yes."

"May I inquire as to what that might be?"

"I'm… just…"

"Just what?" he thought he knew what was bothering her but thought that if she said it she would realize how foolish she was being. She stopped on the path and looked up at the sky.

"I'm afraid."

"Of what?" he tried to coax her into telling him without it being too obvious what he was doing. He knew what she was afraid of.

"Of what happened the last time I was here," she finally blurted out.

"Oh," now that he had coaxed it out of her he didn't know what to say. _Dammit Severus! Think man! What does she need to hear? _

"Please don't be mad at me…" she pleaded with him and she sat down on a stump and looked down at the ground. He walked over to her and lifted her chin with his forefinger and thumb.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to. I don't want you to be uncomfortable. I just thought that you might enjoy a day out of the castle. We can go back if you like."

She looked at him and she saw that he was quite sincere. His fingers were so soft on her face and she shook her head 'no.'

"I need to go. I want to go. It's… it's just hard."

He didn't know what to say. Instead, he held out his hand and she let him help her up. They continued walking in silence.

When they arrived at Hogsmeade, they walked around a bit taking in the summer sunshine. They carried on idle conversation, mostly about potions or stories from classes. When it came time for lunch, he walked toward the restaurant that she had met Viktor at that day before Christmas.

"Severus…"

"Yes?"

"I-I… um, this is so embarrassing." 

"What?"

"Can we go somewhere else?"

"Certainly, do you not like the choice of cuisine here?"

"No, its just that… well, I used to meet… what I mean to say is that before Christmas… I mean… I don't…"

He knew what she was driving at so he quickly stepped in to help her. "Choose wherever you like to eat. There are many good places here." She told him thank you with only her eyes as they walked a bit further down the road. "Where would you like to dine this afternoon?"

"You choose," she replied.

"No, this is your day, you pick wherever you like."

"I can't." He was completely dumbstruck.

"You can't?" he raised an eyebrow at her totally confused.

__

If I pick something that he doesn't like, he'll get angry with me. What if he gets mad for picking the wrong place or his food isn't good or it's too expensive? What if he does what Viktor does when I make a mistake? I won't make a mistake, I won't choose.

"Whatever will be fine," she finally replied.

"What do you like?" _He's asking me what I like. What do I like? I learned to like what it was that Viktor liked. _

"I don't know, please don't make me choose."

"I'm not going to make you do anything. How about we just stop at the next place we come to, eh?"

__

He's not going to make me do anything. Viktor did. He made me into a woman and I didn't want to be. Would Severus do the same thing? Would he force me into a position that I can't get out of? He's a man after all, of course he would. 

Their lunch was eaten with casual conversation. After they had eaten, he picked up the bill from the table. Hermione was digging around in her purse to find money for lunch.

"I've got it Hermione, put your money away."

"No, I'll pay for my own."

"Really, let me buy you lunch, I'm the one with the job remember."

"I just don't want to owe you." _Does he expect me to be dessert? If he buys lunch then he'll want something in return._

He could sense what she was thinking. "You won't owe me. Seeing you eat is payment enough. I won't have it any other way." She could see his resolve and resigned herself to letting him buy her lunch. 

__

Maybe he's not like Viktor… maybe…

A/N: Viktor still lurks about… whatever will we do with him?


	15. Chapter 15 Buffers

Disclaimer: In a world where I am queen and reign supreme, I own Harry Potter. 

A few weeks later, Hermione and Severus sat in the dungeons working fruitlessly on a potion sent by the Ministry of Magic to be tested. Severus stood up and walked across the room to get a bottle off of the shelf. When he came back, he saw the notes Hermione had scribbled on her parchment.

"You can't do that," he told her.

"Why not?"

"It won't work, you can't put witchhazel in a potion with beezles."

"Yes you can. You just have to adjust the temperature and add a solvent for stability."

"That's ludicrous! It's highly theoretical. If you heat barstone oil too much, it can blow us all up!"

Getting agitated with him, "If you add a buffer of mercury brine, it all works out on paper."

He was enthralled yet aggravated by this conversation. "Mercury brine only theoretically works as a buffer, there's been no tests on it."

"I think it will work," she told him.

"It's too risky!" he shouted. 

He lifted his right arm quickly to run through his air. Hermione misinterpreted his action. She flinched as she turned her head quickly to one side throwing her arms in front of her face as she sank into the floor.   
"Don't hit me! Please!" she cried. 

Severus looked at his arm with his fingers running through his hair. _Gods, she thought I was going to strike her. Dammit Severus!_

He bent down in the floor and took her arms in his hands. She turned to look at him slightly and he saw a single tear slip from the corner of her left eye.

"Hermione, I would never strike you, you should know that." He slowly put her arms down and wiped the tear that had begun to fall down her cheek. She enjoyed his touch against her skin, it was so different than Viktor's had been. 

"I'm sorry Severus, I just thought that you were going to hit me," she tried to explain unable to hold his penetrating gaze.

"Why would I hit you?"

"Because you were angry with me and when Viktor was angry with me, he would hit me."

"I was not angry with you and I'm most certainly not Viktor Krum." He was hurt that she had thought that since Viktor had hit her when he was angry that he would hit her as well.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "I'm so stupid!" Her tears fell freely down her cheeks. She leaned back against the table leg and let her tears fall.

"Please don't cry, no harm was done," he pleaded with her. She closed her eyes and he was there staring down at her. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling crying freely. She just wanted him out of her mind. Severus moved her hair from her face and began to wipe each tear away as it started to fall. 

"What's wrong?" he wanted, no, he needed to know what had her so upset.

"I just," she didn't want him to know that Viktor was permanently imprinted in her mind, "I feel…"

"What? How do you feel?" he couldn't see that she was hurting, that she was having painful recollections of Viktor Krum abusing her over and over again. He didn't know that she didn't sleep at night, her nightmares always making her relive that day at the Leaky Cauldron. She didn't want him to know either. 

"I don't know," it was true, she didn't really know how she felt. Part of her was terrified and panicked being touched by another man when all she could think about were the last pair of hands that had touched her, betrayed her. Then, another part of her felt warm and safe in the arms of Severus Snape, she felt as if she belonged there, no one could hurt her any more. In the end, she was confused because the only thought that was with her for every moment of her day was the memory of Viktor Krum. 

Severus patiently waited for her to try and work out whatever it was she was going over in her mind. He put an arm around her and drew her into him. She rested her head on his shoulder like she had done after the rape. With his other arm free, he traced her jaw with his fingers. He moved his hand from her ear to her chin, outlining her subtle features. Her skin was soft and delicate, just like her. She let him touch her and she tried to let the hands belong to the man who had saved her, who had been so patient with her, but the image of Viktor kept infiltrating, sullying the new memory she was trying to create. After a few moments, she had calmed down enough and put Viktor out of her mind long enough to notice the gentleness that Severus used with her, that he had always used since he had found her outside Hogwarts. She was grateful for him, and she was beginning to believe that he appreciated her, perhaps even loved her. She began to notice his breathing change and it frightened her slightly. She tensed and was uncomfortable. He noticed immediately and got up. 

"Why don't we continue on tomorrow? I think we've had enough excitement for one day." 

"Yes, I think so. I'll be here in the morning." She got up from the floor straightened her robes and walked out of the dungeons. He sat down in her chair and thought to himself.

__

She's driving me crazy. I know she thinks about him, thinks I'm him. What can I do to make her see otherwise? Certainly not going about it like you did today. She could tell you were getting excited having her like that with you. What I wouldn't give to be able to kiss her and let her know that I am going to protect her. She's not ready for that, perhaps she'll never be. If only I could find that Krum fellow… 

I want to sleep Viktor, I want to be free from you. Why won't you let me be? You got what you wanted now leave me? Leave my dreams and my thoughts. I beg you. I can't handle this anymore. But Viktor was always with her, in her dreams, in her mind. When her eyes closed, he was there. When she slept, he was there, taking what he wanted from her. When Severus touched her, it was Viktor's hands, the ones that had damaged her. She wanted to be free of him, but he wasn't going to let her do it. His memory and his invasion controlled her now as much as he had controlled her over three months ago. If only her life was as simple as a spell… she would end the pain with _Finite Incantatem. _

A/N: I do solemnly swear to in the near future reunite Hermione with Ron, Ginny, and Harry. I also promise to reveal why Hermione is having nightmares, what we will do with Viktor, and the elusive Jenna… but just not right now. Cheers!


	16. Chapter 16 The Wand

Disclaimer: I dreamt that I owned Harry Potter, but then I woke up.

A/N: Sorry for the delay, I have been plotting….

"Hermione, to finish this potion, we're going to need our wands. There doesn't seem to be any other way, you know how much I despise wand waving in my dungeons."

"I can't do that," she remembered that she never found her wand. 

"Why not? It's not a complicated charm to cast but we have to have our wands do it."

"Can't you do it by yourself?"

"We both made the potion so we both have to charm it or it won't work."

"I don't have a wand."

"Why not? You mean you've broken it or lost it? Every witch and wizard always keeps his wand with him at all times. Surely you haven't been wandering around without it."

"I lost it, in a manner of speaking."

"Merlin Hermione, how did you manage that?"

"I seemed to have put it down somewhere and I don't know where it is."

"Well, it has to be in your rooms then… or perhaps the library."

"No, I know it's not in my rooms or the library."

"Where did you have it last?" She bit her lip and looked at him. She didn't want to say it but knew there would be no way out of it.

"I… um, I can't be sure…"

"Well, what was the last spell you remember casting with it, maybe we can figure out where you left it," he was having a hard time understanding how she could have misplaced something as important as her wand.

"I don't know," she hastily replied.

"Well think, I'm sure you can remember where you had it last."

"I don't want to."

He was completely confused. He had no idea what was going on with her. He didn't like not being able to at least partially read what was happening as she thought. 

"Hermione, I do believe that we need to finish this potion, and unless we cast the charms in one week, three weeks of work will be a total wash. Please try to remember where it was you lost your wand."

She knew he was right, she couldn't let her foolishness destroy what they had worked so hard on for weeks. The Ministry would be very upset if they found out that she had thrown away this much of their time because she didn't want to admit to Severus where she had last seen her wand.

"Diagon Alley," she finally muttered.

"Where at? Maybe someone found it."

"I don't think so," she was trying to be elusive while giving him only the basic facts.

He was starting to get annoyed, "How do you know someone hasn't found it?"

"Because, I just know."

"Hermione, we don't have time for this, where did you last have your wand?" his annoyance with her was coupled with a genuine concern as to why she didn't want to tell him where she had left her wand.

"I… it's that… I mean… what I'm trying to say is…"

"Spit it out girl, we haven't got a millenium to figure this out."

She trembled slightly and became slightly angry with him. "Well, if you really must know, Viktor took my wand when we were in the Leaky Cauldron!" He was totally taken aback, he now understood why she had been so reluctant to tell him what happened to her wand. He felt like a total fool. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I guess I'm just tired. Why don't you just go tomorrow and get another one at Ollivanders?" He tried to calm her down with his smooth words. It appeared to be working.

"I don't want to go by myself," she sheepishly admitted.

"I'll accompany you. I need to get some things from the potions stores anyway. We appear to be out of gypsy follicle."

She nodded to him and she sat down in a chair. 

"I'm sorry, I know you're probably tired of this whole mess. I wish I could just get it over with. I wish I could sleep or think or anything. I hate this! And I've dragged you right along with me. Gods!"

He wasn't exactly sure what she was talking about but had a faint notion that she was being plagued by memories of Viktor. 

"You haven't dragged me along with anything. There's been no harm done. Don't worry. Now, why don't you go get some rest. It's nearly 2300. We can go to Ollivander's in the morning. I'll clean up here."

She got out of her chair without saying a word and walked out the door. He cleaned up the work area and went into his own study to do a bit of reading. As he looked out the window, he saw her sitting by the lake. She had her knees drawn up to her chest and was rocking back and forth. He could feel her, she was in pain, she was crying. He watched her under the moonlight until she finally got up and walked back to the castle in only her nightshirt. He saw the wind blow it against her thin body. He could see every inch of her through it, he hoped she couldn't see him watching her. His body responded to the image in front of her and he tried desperately to ignore the growing urge inside him. He opted for a bath and a long, dreamless sleep. 


	17. Chapter 17 Settling

Disclaimer: All previous apply

She didn't sleep that night. She had become more and more afraid of sleeping as the nightmares became more and more real. They were so vivid that she could feel her body responding to the dreams and she would wake up with a surge of pain in her hips. For a moment, she could still feel him on top of her, grinding into her. Even after waking, she could smell his breath on her face and feel the heat leave her body. She decided to sleep as little as possible. She read most of the night and was grateful when the sun had begun to make its way up. 

Hermione walked down to the dungeons at half past eight. She hoped he was up as she had been awake for so long and was anxious to get this trip out of the way. The door to the dungeons were open and she heard him in his rooms. She knocked on the door and it came open slightly. The sounds she heard were coming from his washroom. She sat down in the chair and opened the book he was reading on the small table. _Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen._ She giggled slightly at the thought of him reading muggle literature, this of all things. She put it down and pretended she hadn't noticed it. She leaned her head back against the chair and almost drifted off when she heard the door to his washroom open. He opened it and walked out, naked. They saw each other and he immediately fell back into the washroom with a crash shutting the door with his foot. 

"Ouch," he called.

"Um, are you alright?"

"Miss Granger, in the future, I would appreciate it greatly if you would announce your presence when you are in my rooms."

She smiled and retorted, "Of course Professor… I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"I'm not embarrassed, you just took me by surprise is all. Do you think that you could pass the clothes from my bed through this door?"

"Of course Professor," she smiled as she walked across the room knowing that he was probably red with embarrassment from head to toe. A hand outstretched from the door as she passed him the clothes he had laid out for himself. 

"Oh Professor?"

"Yes?"

"I'm in your rooms." 

"Thank you for informing me in such a timely fashion," he remarked sarcastically.

She walked out of his rooms into the dungeon sensing that it might be a good day after all.

Ten minutes later he came out of the washroom fully clothed wearing his usual sour face. He gathered his wand and then put on his robes. He walked out to see her reading a potions book in the dungeon.

"Miss Granger? Are you ready?"

"Yes, of course Professor," she smirked back at him.

"Please don't call me Professor."

"Then don't call me Miss Granger."

"Alright Hermione, are you ready to buy a new wand?"

"Never been more ready."

They walked out the door and Severus smiled to himself. He could tell that she was amused by the whole incident. He even swore that she was smiling. As they walked toward Diagon Alley, he gracefully took her hand into his own and held it gently. She tensed at first and just as he was about to release her hand, she responded by lacing her fingers into his. For one moment, she was truly happy. Those fingers only belonged to one person, Severus Snape. They walked in silence, neither knowing what to say to the other. Their walk was too short and before they knew it, they were standing at the far end of Diagon Alley.

__

He'll probably be embarrassed to hold my hand here. He's just doing it to be nice.

She untangled her fingers from his and folded her arms across her chest. They walked down and stopped at several stores. She had completely forgotten that they were there to buy a wand and potions supplies. Instead, they looked in all kinds of stores, bookstores, candy stores, pet stores, even clothes stores. Severus had decided he needed to diversify his wardrobe so he bought himself a grey scarf.

"Severus, grey? You're so daring!"

"Yes my dear, I know, I am a slave to fashion," he replied with a grin. She had never really seen him smile before, but decided she liked this new Severus Snape. _Maybe I should have seen him naked before now. He certainly has loosened up quite a bit since this morning._

"Severus, I hate to bother you, but…"

"What is it Hermione?"

"Well, I'm hungry. Can we get something to eat?"

"I thought you'd never ask, I was sure you could hear my stomach for the past hour."

"Good, I could use something to eat myself."

They stopped in a restaurant and had a very long lunch. She ordered her own food and ate hungrily. He liked seeing her eat, it was the most food he had seen her eat at one time since they had begun their work together. They talked of Muggle oddities, of Professor Hanson's relative inability to teach Muggle Studies, and of course the number of cauldrons Neville Longbottom had managed to melt in his seven years at Hogwarts. 

"Severus, there's something I need to tell you," she began.

He looked at her inquisitively. 

She took a deep breath. "Back in my second year, it was I that took those potions from your stores. I was making a polyjuice potion."

"I'm shocked!" he played along.

"I know, it's just that we thought Draco was the heir to Slytherin and so we decided to find out."

"I can't believe it, all this time…" he shook his head.

"I'm sorry. I mean, we were just trying to figure it all out and then…"

"Well, I suppose being turned into a cat was punishment enough," he smiled at her.

"How? You knew?"

"Yes, you'll find that secrets don't keep well at Hogwarts. Besides, who did you think made the potion to return you back to your beautiful self?"

She blushed at him and then continued eating.

A/N: Sorry, couldn't resist throwing in the 'Sense and Sensibility' thing…


	18. Chapter 18 Unsettling

Disclaimer: Still want to own it, still don't own it…

They were walking outside after their lunch when he noticed how tired she was beginning to look.

"Why don't you sit here on this bench and I'll go get the potions I need. I'll be right inside. Then we can go get your wand and get back to school."

"Thank you. I'm getting tired. I'll wait right here for you. Please don't be long."

"I won't. If you need me I'll be right across the street in Dragon Snap's."

She sat down on the bench and watched him as he disappeared into the store. She closed her eyes for a moment to try and refocus, when she opened them, Viktor Krum was standing right in front of her. He grinned down at her.

"Hello Hermyonny," he said as he grabbed her arm and pulled her behind the building and down into Knockturn Alley. He shoved her against the wall and breathed his hot, smelly breath on her. She looked around desperately for Severus but he couldn't have seen her from across the street. _Please Severus! Help me. Help me! _Viktor pushed himself against her and planted a kiss right on her lips.

"Did you miss me?"

"Let me go Viktor."

"You're mine Hermyonny, I own you. No one else will have you. Except maybe that filthy git of a potions professor that you seem to have become fond of."

"Viktor, let me go!"

"You're just a filthy mudblood whore. Did he fuck you Hermyonny? No, I don't think so. You belong to me. Now be quiet, no one can hear you anyway."

He opened her robes as she struggled underneath his impressive build. He opened her blouse and plunged his hands down into it. He groped her and she winced in pain. _Severus! _

He felt something was wrong as he stood in the aisle waiting for the young man to get his items off the top shelf. When he went to the window and saw that she was gone, he bolted out the door and rushed across the street knocking people down as he ran. _Severus! _He could hear her in his mind. He saw a man leaned against the front of the store where he last saw her.

"Did you see a woman sitting here?" he hurriedly asked. 

The man shook his head.

"She has curly brown hair and deep brown eyes…"

He shook his head again.

Severus grabbed him by his robes, "There was a very beautiful woman sitting on this bench not five minutes ago, now, did you see her or not??"

He shook his head again. Severus dropped the man and heard her call again. _Severus! _On instinct, he ran behind the building and looked frantically up and down the street. He could feel her, she was terrified. He ran up the road a few meters before turning back around and coming back down. He heard her screaming for him in his mind and he raced down the other side of the road and saw the entrance to Knockturn Alley.

She squirmed beneath him and bit his tongue as he tried to force it into her mouth. He pulled back bleeding and struck her across the cheek. Just as he raised his hand to strike her a second time, he was pulled off of her. Severus slammed him against the other side of the small alley as she sunk down in a heap at the bottom of the wall. She cried as the side of her face throbbed, she could feel the air hitting her chest but couldn't move to cover herself. She could hear the fight as she kept her eyes closed. She knew that Severus was no match for Viktor. Undoubtedly, she had led Severus to a cruel beating, or even his death. Then, the fighting stopped and she heard his voice shout out a binding spell. When she looked up, Severus was knelt down in front of her. His left foot was planted solidly on her right side while his right knee was on the ground on her left side. She looked at him helplessly and leaned her back against the wall and continued to cry, it was all she had left to do. Carefully, he brushed the hair from her face and the tears from her cheeks. He began to rebutton her shirt as he saw the bruises beginning to appear on her breasts. As he buttoned each button, his knuckles lightly grazed over her exposed skin. His touch was electrifying, her breathing became more unsteady and her tears stopped flowing. He ran his hands up her neck and pulled her head back from the wall. He leaned into her and planted a gentle controlled kiss on her lips. She responded to him and began to kiss him back. They sat that way for several moments as he pulled her up to him and continued kissing her lips and neck. She threw her head back from sheer enjoyment before pulling his head to her again to share another passionate kiss with him. Their kissing ceased and they sat facing each other heads nearly touching. He had his eyes closed as he began to speak.

"I heard you calling for me, I'm sorry it took me so long. I panicked when I couldn't find you. Thank god you're alright. Hermione, please forgive me."

She didn't know what to say. "I didn't know you could hear me calling out to you. I was so afraid that you wouldn't find me. Thank you, thank you."

"I'll never let him hurt you again, I swear. You have my word."

She believed him, everything that flowed from his mouth she believed with her whole heart. She looked at his eyes closed as he spoke. Then, she saw a tear trying to escape from his eye. He pulled her into him and held her tightly.

"I was afraid I wasn't going to find you. I don't want to let you go."

She pulled away from him so that she could look at his face. He looked into her eyes and for the first time, she could hold his gaze. She closed her eyes and drew him into her. She kissed him and waited for his lips to respond. As they did, she let go of herself and let herself enjoy being this close to him. She could feel his rising anticipation against her and was immediately frightened. She shifted away from him slightly and put her head against his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head as they awaited the Ministry's arrival.

A/N: I think that's a little bit of what everybody wanted… don't worry, much more to come.


	19. Chapter 19 Talking it out

Disclaimer: Yup, don't own Harry Potter

A/N: Just a little fluffy, not too much, not yet…

After the Ministry arrived to collect an unconscious Viktor Krum, Hermione and Severus began their walk back to the school. She didn't say much to him as she took his arm to walk back. The wind in the night was chilly and she began to shiver before they ever got back to the castle. He looked at her and saw her lips quivering from the cold. He stopped and took off his robes, draping them around her. He put his arm around her and they continued to walk back. When they arrived at the castle, he led her inside and as he walked her back to her rooms she stopped.

"Severus? I don't want to be alone tonight. Can I stay with you?"

"Of course," he replied sensing her fear of being left alone after what had happened. 

He led her down into his rooms and she walked over to the bed. She sat down and began thinking about the last time she had been in that bed. She felt safe there. She leaned back onto the bed and brought her hands up to her face. He walked over and took off her shoes and pulled down the blankets. She stood up and took off her robes and her skirt, and then got into bed wearing only her blouse. He looked at her as she climbed so comfortably into his bed. He walked over to the chair and sat down in it ready to sleep. 

"Severus?"

"What is it my dear?"

"Can you… I mean, would you… hold me?"

He couldn't believe that she was asking him to share the bed with her. He nodded and pulled off his shoes and robes, careful to leave all of his clothes on. He got into the bed and lay on his back. She scooted herself over to him and placed her head on his shoulder. He drew his arm up around her pulling her as close to him as possible. He rolled over on his side to look at her. She wasn't sleeping, she was thinking.

"What are you thinking about?"

"It's not important, just things."

"What things? Please tell me, you look so worried."

"I don't sleep at night, ever. When I sleep, I dream and when I dream, I have nightmares. I just don't want to fall asleep."

He knew what she dreamt of and wanted to insure her that it would be okay but he knew that he could promise a lot of things, but he couldn't promise her that she wouldn't dream of him. 

"Sleep Hermione. I'll be here if you need me. I'm not going anywhere." With that, he put his other arm around her and pulled her into his chest. She slowly began to drift off to sleep and for the first time in four months, she had a peaceful sleep in the arms of the man she loved. He didn't make any move to make her uncomfortable although he longed to be with her. She fell asleep long before he did. He closed his eyes and finally fell asleep feeling as if he had conquered the world.

When he woke up the next morning, she was looking at him intently. He opened one eye and looked at her. 

"Severus, thank you."

"It was my pleasure," he smiled back at her.

"No, I mean, for everything. For finding me before Christmas and for taking care of me when he… and for yesterday. Thank you."

"Hermione, I'm only sorry that I couldn't have stopped what happened. I considered stealing that note from you somehow and finding out where you were going to meet him at that day. I was going to follow you there and try to talk some sense in to you. I didn't though and I regret that. Everyday I think about how I could have prevented all of this from happening. I feel as if it's my fault and I wish you would forgive me."

"You have nothing to be forgiven for, it was my fault, all of it. I just wish that I could have been stronger or gotten to my wand or anything. I'm so ashamed Severus, of what I did, I know that you must think that I'm just a filthy whore. What I did was unforgivable, I am so ashamed of myself for doing it."

He looked at her hurt as he sat up on his elbow and looked down at her. "Nothing that happened was your fault, you have nothing to be ashamed of. I don't think any ill of you and I certainly don't think that you're a whore. Viktor took what he wanted from you, he is in the wrong. You should know from being with other men that what he did was wrong. He shouldn't have taken that away from you. Your other relationships… you should know that making love is an experience to be shared, it's not one-sided."

She looked at him then looked away. 

"What's wrong? Have I upset you?"

"No, it's just that Viktor was the first."

It hit him like a pile of bricks. _She had never made love before him. That bastard robbed her. I've been such a fool to think that there were others before him. Gods Severus think man! _

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not okay, it's far from okay."

"I just thought that that was how it was supposed to be. I didn't know, I'm so stupid." She buried her head into the pillow. He looked at her and saw her flushed face. 

"Hermione, please don't say that. You're not stupid, Krum is stupid. He's a bastard and a fool. We're not all like him you know."

"I don't know. I mean, my father was… well, it doesn't matter. I just thought… I was afraid of you, did you know that?"

He looked at her hurt, "why would you be afraid of me?"

"Because I thought that you were just like the others, like Viktor and my father. I was terrified that you would beat me or do what Viktor did to me. I dream about it every night. I can see him in my dreams and he… I hate him! Why would he do that? Why would he?"

He didn't know the answer himself but knew she needed to have some kind of consolation.

"I don't know Hermione. I can't understand it. He's just a selfish bastard who can't love or respect anyone or anything. You deserve so much more than that. You deserve to be loved and cared for like a woman should be."

He could see her thinking and he looked into her eyes.

"I would never do that to you. Do you believe me?"

"I don't know. It's hard to believe. I can't really explain it but part of me wants to believe you but the other part is afraid that I'm wrong."

He took it like a blow to the gut. "I know I can't make you believe me. I don't know what to do except to try and prove it to you somehow. But at least hear me, I would never harm you in any way. I could never think of taking something from you or striking you. Hermione… I love you."

She looked at him as he was so sincere he trembled. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. She returned his kiss. She wanted to believe him, she really did. 

A/N: Now, let's work on some HG/SS romance with tons of angst… of course!


	20. Chapter 20 Working Through

Disclaimer: JK Rowling still owns Harry Potter! Aren't you all shocked?

A/N: Just a little something to lighten things a bit before some more drama!

Severus drifted back to sleep as Hermione lay comfortably in his arms, taking in all he had tried to console her with. She slipped out of his embrace and stood at the window for a moment before deciding what she had to do. Hermione tied the letter to the owl and quickly wrote out a note for him when he awoke. She gathered her belongings and walked out the door, turning around once to watch him sleeping, his black locks covering part of his face. He didn't know she had gotten up. She walked out of the dungeons and went to her rooms, quickly packing before she grabbed a handful of floo powder and was on her way.

Severus awoke roughly an hour later missing the warmth Hermione's fragile body supplied him. He shivered once and looked to his side to see her place empty. He sat up in bed quickly and looked on the bedside table to see an envelope with his name written on it. As he opened it up, he could hear her words.

Severus,

So much has happened in the past that I need some time to sort things out. I appreciate everything that you have done for me but I need some time, some time to work through all of this. I will be back before our potion is a total wash. I would have woken you, but you would have asked me stay, and I cannot do that right now. I'm sorry Severus, I'm sorry for everything I have put you through. 

Yours always,

Hermione

He closed the letter and put it in the drawer of the table. Sitting in his bed, he didn't know what to do with himself. He battled it out within. _Did I scare her away? I shouldn't have kissed her. Severus, you're a fool! You should have left well enough alone! Why did you do it? Why did you bring up making love with her? She probably thinks that's all you're after now. No, she should know better. But, she doesn't, she thinks I'm just like all the rest, just like that bastard Krum. Merlin! Get hold of yourself man! Sort it out! Give her time, just give her time._ He walked into his bathroom and ran himself a tub of hot water before immersing himself in its depths. As he closed his eyes, he could still feel her lips pressed against his. 

Hermione arrived at the Weasley's in mere moments where Molly Weasley was waiting for her. 

"Oh Hermione! I'm so glad you owled. I'm afraid that Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Lexi have gone on holiday."

"I know, Mrs. Weasley, I actually came to see you."

"Well, sit yourself down, I've got a kettle on."

"Thank you, this isn't a bother is it?"

"Of course not, sit down, we'll have a cuppa and talk about it."

Molly Weasley's motherly instinct kicked into action as Hermione sat down and painstakingly poured her heart out to her. She told the woman everything. Molly looked at her, cried when she cried, and finally embraced her in a giant hug. 

"Oh, Hermione! Why didn't you say anything? I know you and Ginny are close, not a word to her or anyone? Why darling why?"

"I don't know, I just didn't think I was supposed to say anything. It was my problem to deal with."

"You never have to shoulder things alone, you know that I'm always here for you… Minerva owled me last week, I was going to come for a visit this week to check on you."

"Minerva? What did she say?"

"She just was concerned, she didn't really give me any of the details, just that you hadn't been yourself and had spent some time in the hospital wing. She thought that I should come and speak with you. She thought that you really needed a mother… I'm sorry Hermione, I didn't mean it like that… she was worried, as was I. You understand don't you?"

"Yes, to be honest, you and Minerva are the closest thing I've ever had to a mother. My father… well, it doesn't matter anymore."

"It always matters Hermione, I just wished you had told someone sooner. I think of you as one of my own."

Hermione smiled at that and let the one hold her, she felt the warmth a child would feel when his mother holds him, and right now, she wanted a mother, she needed one.

Severus got out of the bath and tried to busy himself with work, but he just couldn't concentrate, not knowing where she was. He got up from his desk and looked out the window. Thinking long and hard for several moments, he pinched a bit of floo powder and through into the grate "Where is Hermione Granger?" The floo choked back at him in a pale green response. He could vaguely see the house before him and the young girl sitting beside a red-haired woman. He smiled to himself before he doused the image. He knew she was safe, but he wondered if she would ever come back. He picked up his book from the chair and sat down trying to forget about her but he couldn't shake the image from his mind. 

Molly Weasley took Hermione up to Charlie's old bedroom where she lay down for a short nap. She thought of Severus and as she did, she smiled as she fell asleep. 

A/N: No fears loyal readers, much more to come.


	21. Chapter 21 The World Discovers

Disclaimer: Yadda, yadda, yadda…

When Hermione awoke in the Weasley house the next morning, she walked down the twisted staircase and into the warm kitchen. Molly looked up from the table and smiled graciously at her.

"Sleep well my dear?"

"Yes, I did, excellent in fact."

Molly smiled her Weasley smile, "Spot of breakfast perhaps?"

"Perfect! I'm starved!"

What started to be a 'spot of breakfast' quickly turned into the largest feast Hermione had ever seen. They chatted aimlessly when a screech was heard from outside. 

"Oh my! Hermione open the door, Errol's come with the post!"

Hermione jumped from her chair and opened the door just in time for Errol to crash his way into the kitchen onto the table and into a very large bowl of baked beans. Molly acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary as Errol sat up and she picked the beans off of him. She looked through the stack of post and stopped immediately when she opened the Daily Prophet. She then looked at Hermione. 

"I think you might want to see this."

Hermione cautiously took the paper from her hands, and as she read the headline, she sank into her chair. 'Viktor Krum now in Ministry custody for rape of ex-Hogwarts student' She didn't want to read anymore. She quickly scanned the article, and when she saw no mention of her name, she looked puzzled.

"At least they didn't put my name in it," she muttered to the red haired woman in front of her. 

"I'm sure I know why, but I believe you might want these letters."

Hermione took the letters from her hands. One from Harry, one from Ginny, one from Ron, one from McGonagall, and then the one from Severus.

Dearest Hermione,

I know you said that you wanted some time to think, but there are a few things that need to be said and explained. Please join me as soon as possible. Fudge has sent me an owl.

Yours,

Severus

She wasn't exactly sure what to make of it. She looked at Molly Weasley and sighed deeply, maybe she hadn't told her everything. The matronly witch looked at her and put a kettle on, knowing there was more to Hermione's story than she had let on. 

Hermione told her about her relationship with Severus. Instead of being faced with disapproval, Molly Weasley simply asked, "Do you love him? Is he good to you?"

"I don't know Mrs. Weasley, I really don't. I mean, part of him thanks him everyday for my being alive, the other part of me is scared of him."

Molly nodded at her as she sipped some tea, saying nothing, Hermione needed to work this one out on her own. 

"He's been so kind and patient with me and God knows I've given him every chance to simply run out and be done with me. Yet, he still stays and waits. His patience is neverending and he just seems to know me. Better than I know myself sometimes. He's never made me uncomfortable. I want to trust him Mrs. Weasley I really do. But how do you get past this… feeling, that things are going to go bad, that the bottom is going to drop out at any moment? I mean, after all, he's a man, and they're all the same…."

Molly Weasley sat motionless for a few moments before responding. "Hermione, not all men are like Viktor. I promise you that. I went to school with Severus, he's a good man. He has his faults, they all do, but he does appear to love you."

"He says he wants to prove to me that I can trust him."

"Then let him, if he hasn't broken your trust up to this point, what makes you think he will now?"

"I don't know… fear? I don't want to get too close again. Sometimes, I just think it would be easier to just be alone, but then he makes me feel so… good, about life, about me, about us."

"I think you've answered your own question Hermione. I'll always be here, so will Ron, Harry, and Ginny. Do what your heart tells you, that's the best advice I can give you."

Hermione gave Molly Weasley a hug before grabbing a handful of floo powder and making her destination known. She was going back, she needed to work it out.

Severus had spent the last two days wandering around the halls of the castle. With no one to deduct points from, he walked about cursing randomly and insulting the paintings. When Hermione got back from her rooms, he was arguing with a painting near the Gryffindor entrance. Hermione quietly watched as he started to argue with the paintings.

"I say, I say!" said a painting of a young knight, "she is absolutely breathtaking! I think I'll ask her out myself when she returns. A knight so bold and fearless as myself, I could show her what a real man is all about!"

"You stupid man! What could she possibly see in a PAINTING! That's all you are! A silly painting!"

At that moment the Fat Lady chimed in, "A silly painting? How rude Sir! I cannot believe that you would speak to us in such a fashion. I suppose you go around and torment ghosts as well! Such an ungrateful man.. and all that we do for you!!!"

"Sod off Fat Lady! I wasn't talking to you!"

The knight broke back in, "Dare you insult my mother?"

"Your mother!??! You are a painting! You cannot have a mother!"

"I cannot believe that you would stoop so low… are you calling me a bastard? Those are fighting words!"

"I didn't call you a bastard! You aren't real… you're just a painting!"

"Well, you're just an ugly, old, bat-faced, despicable, git!"

"That's it! You are just a painting… an ugly, short, two dimensional, waste of space!"

"What?? What??" the painting guffawed as the knight puffed his chest out. 

Snape walked closer to the painting in true testosterone style. "And you want to know what else? You're not even a good painting! Dumbledore should have taken you down years ago!"

"How dare you say such a thing! When I get down off this wall…"

"Get down off the wall!? You can't get down off the wall! That's why I'll win every time!"

"That's all I can take!" the knight in the painting took off his glove and slung it through the air in an attempt to provoke Snape to a duel.

Snape, clearly reaching the end of his tether said, "Are you challenging me?"

"I dare say I am! What weapon do you choose? I will of course have my sword!"

Snape started to turn around and walk away, but a devilish grin passed his face and he turned back to the knight.

"Alright, you have your sword.. and I'll have… acetone!"

At this point, Hermione couldn't take it any longer. She stepped around the corner and was crying from laughing so hard. The serious look left Severus' face as he looked at her.

"Hermione? How much of that did you just see?"

"I saw enough Severus, I saw enough. Honestly… threatening the poor man with acetone, that's low even for a ugly, old, bat-faced, despicable git."

"I'm glad you're back," he said to her with a smile, "care for some tea?"

A/N: I know that got a bit long, but I really had fun. The more I thought about Snape arguing with the paintings, the funnier it got… my roommate worries about my mental well-being now. Make me feel it's worthwhile and review… :) 


	22. Chapter 22 Silence Filled

A/N: So, yeah, it's been almost a year since I've updated. I've got renewed enthusiasm and plan to trudge on. Let me know how I'm doing, I'm not much of a writer, but I try. 

Hermione followed him down the hall. His pace quickened as he anxiously approached his rooms, and he smiled knowing she had returned, but she couldn't see that. As she tried to keep up with him, she began to wonder if she'd done the right thing coming back. For once in her life, this was something she didn't know, and couldn't find out from a book. The doors in the dungeons opened as Severus hurried through, lamps lighting themselves as he stepped toward his rooms. She began to sweat, part from the pace and part from her nerves. Soon enough, they had arrived and he opened the door, motioning for her to come through. Taking a deep breath, she moved through the doorway and took her seat.

She sat alone in the room for a few minutes, listening to Severus rustle through the cupboards. _What am I doing here? Should I have come back? _But before she could think too much on it, she was startled back to present with the whistle of the kettle. Severus rounded the corner and sat the teacups in front of them. She fixed her tea without looking at him, and they sat in silence. He stared intently at her, watching her small hands wrap themselves around the cup. She twisted it around in her hands and fixated her glance at the bottom of the cup, as if searching for answers. He shifted slightly in his seat before placing his cup on the table. Still, nothing from Hermione. He began to worry. Too many unanswered questions paraded through his mind. He finally spoke.

"Hermione?" he asked.

She continued to stare into the teacup.

"Um, Hermione?" he repeated still not getting any response.

"Hermione, I didn't think you believed in divination?" he asked.

  
She startled at his question, "what?" she asked confused.

"Well, it just seems the way you are staring into the teacup…I thought you might be trying to read the tea leaves or more of that ridiculousness." 

"No," she laughed, "I'm just….thinking."

"Apparently. Hermione, I hope you're not angry with me."

"Angry with you? Why would I be angry?" 

"I don't know. You just left and I thought maybe it was….well, that day when I, I mean we, or perhaps something I said that night about you and me and…Well, I just thought that something I'd said or done had upset you and that you were angry," he stumbled.

It was his turn to look down at the table now, searching for something. 

"Oh, Severus! I could never be angry with you. No, it was just, I needed to think about things, about Viktor, about what happened, about you…us," her voice trailed off.

"What did you decide?" 

"I think that I want to see what happens. I'm scared, I have to tell you. I'm afraid of what I feel of what might happen or won't happen. I'm just afraid that you're going to be…" she stared at him, not knowing what to say. Did she want him to know that she was afraid he would hurt her? 

He looked at her cinnamon eyes, and longed to touch her face, to kiss her, but knew he shouldn't. He knew they had to talk this out.

"What are you afraid of Hermione? What do you think I will do?" 

"I don't know, and that's part of what scares me. I've never been in a situation like this before, and I simply don't know what to do. This isn't something I read about in _Hogwarts: A History_ you know."

"Do you trust me?" he asked concerned.

"I want to trust you. That's all I can tell you right now."

"That's enough, for now. I will prove to you that you can trust me."

She looked back at him and searched his eyes for anger or hate, but found neither. Now she was the one who wanted to share a kiss with him. She thought back to the kiss they had shared days before, of lying in bed with him, just talking. She wasn't aware, but he was thinking of those same things. 

"Severus, what do you think Dumbledore is going to say about this?" 

"I don't thi…" he began

"Hermione, how good to see you've returned. Now what am I supposed to say about what?" the wizard inquired.

Hermione looked to Snape, he raised a lone eyebrow to her, and she startled to babble something incoherent.

"Ah, never you mind. I'm sure whatever it is, is splendid. I have something for you my dear," he winked at her as he handed a piece of parchment to her. She unwrapped the red ribbon and broke the seal. She quickly scanned the note, smiled, and jumped from her seat.

"Thank you Headmaster! Thank you, thank you!!" she embraced the older wizard, while a confused Snape looked on.

"Am I too assume that this means you accept?" he laughed at his own joke.

"Yes, sir. I'd be happy to," she beamed. 

"Excellent. Well, I must be on my way. Good day, Professor, Professor," and with a nod he had left them.

"Do you want to tell what that was about or should I wait to hear it from the Daily Prophet?" he asked.

"Oh, Severus! Dumbledore has offered me the position of Professor of Muggle Studies. It appears that our former teacher met with an unfortunate event involving a hair dryer. So, I'm to begin teaching this year!" 

"That's wonderful. Now, we'll never be rid of you. Staying at Hogwarts, eating at the staff table, in the library…." He couldn't help but to smile at her, "and I can see you as often as I like. Congratulations Hermione, it is well-deserved. I also have something that I think you might be interested in. About that owl from Fudge…"

"Hm, do I really want to know?" 

"I think so," he summoned a box from across the room. "Here, open it."

"What's in it?" she puzzled.

"I cannot say. It did not have my name on the outside." He waited as she cautiously opened the box.

She slowly opened the small box and smiled at the contents. She drew the object from the box, and held it in front of her as she began to cry. He moved over to her and put his arm around her. She handed him the letter and he read it aloud,

_Dear Miss Granger, _

_After a thorough search of Mister Krum, we've found something we believe belongs to you. I'm sure you have missed it. With some magical testing, we have discovered that Mister Krum had placed a sleep disruption charm on your wand. If you are not aware, this particular charm prevents the wand's owner from restful sleep. Whoever casts this charm controls the owner's dreams. Our team here at the Ministry have removed the charm. Your wand appears to be in working order._

_ Sincerely, _

_Cornelius Fudge._

She sobbed quietly for a few moments as Severus rubbed the small of her back. He took the package from her hand, she turned into his chest and cried for a moment more and looked up at him. 

"I didn't know. The dreams… that's why….all of those dreams…" she shook her head in disbelief. He had been in control of her all of this time. 

"Hermione, I'm sorry. I wish there was something…."

"I know, it's okay," she wiped her eyes and shook her head, pulling herself back together, "I'm fine now, everything will be fine."

He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say at that moment. He asked, "So, um, are you hungry?"

She laughed, "Yes, famished. Should we go up to the Great Hall for some lunch?"

"Excellent idea. But first…I have a question."

"Oh, what is that?" 

"What's a hair dryer?"

She laughed, and took his arm, leading him into the Great Hall for lunch.  


End file.
